Nearly every afternoon Crager Doiron packs up his books, fetches his dog and heads to Raising Cane’s Dog Park.
The park, located off City Park Avenue, has a relaxing atmosphere where his 6-month-old schnauzer, Hess, can play and where Doiron, sociology junior, can study.
“I’ve come about five days a week for about five months,” Doiron said. “It’s a great place.”
Hess ran circles around the grassy plot Monday, trailing behind a large boxer. He deviated from his stalking periodically to pay a visit to Doiron, who put a hand down to pet the dog’s head as he read his notes.
Doiron is one of many University students who take advantage of Baton Rouge’s park facilities.
According to Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC) Communications Director Kristi Williams, three BREC-sponsored dog parks are open to the public, and two are under construction.
Williams said parks have sprouted up around Baton Rouge since 2004, when the city recognized the need for dog parks.
“We went to the public and had about 125 public meetings to create the Imagine Your Parks plan,” she said. “From those meetings, it was evident the public wanted dog parks.”
Williams said this communication was paired with research data. The 2001 Gallup polls, which are cited in BREC’s Dog Park Study, revealed that per 100 households, 79 had at least one pet.
BREC opened its first dog park in 2005 at Forest Community Park, off South Harrell’s Ferry Road. The next park was the Raising Cane’s Dog Park at City-Brooks Community Park, and the rest followed.
“Once we built them, it was amazing how the community came together,” Williams said. “All age groups and demographics came out.”
The parks can accommodate all types of canines, both large and small. Small dog parks should have at least one acre of land, and large dog parks should have at least two acres, according to BREC’s Dog Park Study.
A pet destination that caters to both sizes is the Burbank Dog Park, located at the Burbank Sports Complex off Burbank Drive.
The 6-acre facility features a large dog area, which is fenced in and equipped with a walking path, a shaded sitting area and several “splash pads” where the dogs can play. Adjacent to the large dog area is a small dog area, which is designed for small breeds and puppies.
Both fenced-in areas have benches for owners to sit, water fountains and cleanup stations.
The Burbank complex also houses a dog training area opposite the fenced parks. Williams said owners often take their hunting dogs to train in this area, which has several acres of land and a large pond.
But these parks are more than just places for dogs to roam freely — they’re a place to socialize for both dogs and owners.
“People love their pets,” Williams said. “Therefore, they are going to use the facility to meet other people who love their pets. It brings them together.”
Erin Breaux, English graduate assistant, has been a frequent visitor to the Burbank small dog park since August with her adopted Shih Tzu named Gabby.
“It’s fun for Gabby, but I quickly realized that I enjoyed going as much as her,” she said in an e-mail. “We both made new friends, and it’s a great break from everything going on during the week. I look forward to bringing her because it’s social for both of us.”
Breaux took this bond to a new level by creating a Facebook group for local pet owners to coordinate play dates at the park.
“We post pictures and videos, ask when people are going to the park so that the dogs always have company and make plans to meet up at local events like the Yelp Yappy Halloween Parade and the CAAWS Mardi Paws Parade,” she said. “The online group has extended the social conversation and made contact easier.”
Breaux said the best part of the 35-member network is having a group of people who understand her doggie devotion.
One of the members of the Facebook group is Lisa DiCarlo, biological sciences graduate student.
DiCarlo brings Bella, her 4-year-old mini dachshund, to the park almost every day.
“Everyone there is a dog lover, which gives you something easy to talk about,” she said. “It’s great to learn about other breeds, and it’s a great place to talk to other owners about dog issues.”
 
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Contact Sydni Dunn at [email protected]